Crater of Pontus
The Crater of Pontus is a large region located in eastern Westros, and containing a vast mercentile type kingdom governed by many different merchant leaders. The crater of Pontus which was created during the Downfall of Numeron as this was the exact spot that one of the three Magi centers was that directed how the spell was cast, and its destructive effects created the massive crater that sits there now. The Crater of Pontus has joined a group of regions and cities in Europe known as the Slaver Union where in they publically deny the selling of slaves is legal but unofficially these regions all procure, and sell slaves. The city that draws its name from the crater isn't even close to large enough to cover the whole crater, and througout the vast exapanses of the crater the existence of farms which in case of a siege produce enough food to sustain the city's population. The rim of the rises so high that only through the opening for the Talabec river, and through one sharp drop in the north are their even ways into the crater. Their are three Pontus made entry points located in the rim of the crater and these tunnels are guarded by two fortresses, one at each end. Due all these formidable defensive characteristics the city is considered all but impregnable Geography The river Talabec flows around the eastern edge of the crater, bringing with it the possibility of trade links to the rest of Europe and through this has allowed the city vast riches. A deep harbour with an associated settlement called Talagaad is located near the eastern rim of the crater – from here a tunnel passes though the crater wall, each end protected by a fortress. This tunnel is the only way into the crater of Pontus, and it is no surprise that the region is virtually impossible to capture from the outside. Outside of the river Talabec their are three major tunnels that lead by land into the Crater of Pontus in the form of the Moon Gate, Night Gate, and the Twilight Gate of which all are major fortresses gaurded by the Mercent Guilds of Pontus and have never been breached by an enemy. History Early History Destruction Rebirth Iron Bank of Pontus Main Article : Iron Bank of Pontus As more and more people entered the crater of Pontus through the now open gateway of Heptim the crater became home to another group that would come to define the entire crater, and in a lot of ways the entire region of Westros. The crater had since the start of the immigration of people been ruled effectivly through a combined partnership of the powerful houses in the crater, and through this all traces of a monarchy, or Kingdom were none excistent. This came to change when a group of Visigoths entered the crater calling themselves the Iron Bank. This group settled in the city of Pontus, and used their considerable financial means to buy the control of the other houses in the town who they used to grow the strength of Pontus until the city grew to be nearly a hundred thousand people. With control and now numbers the Iron Bank begin cosntruction of a vast market in Pontus along with many other construction projects which they financed through giving massive loans to Houses in the crater who then took all the risk, and at the same time became indebted to the Iron Bank. War with Westros Main Article : The war of the Harp Following the Fall of House Targaryan in Tree Hill they left their homes in Lucerne and begin travelling eastward to the Westros town of Koenisburg, and while there they met a man who told them that if they went to Pontus then they would gain perhaps the most powerful object in the entire region called the "Harp". The Harp was a legendary item of unimagineable power which could if used by someone with enough Dragon's blood be used to litterly call dragons to its sound. Unfortunatly for House Targaryan they were not the only ones offered this deal as the mysterious man was a servent of Malekor, and was attempting to cause the destruction of Westros through the destruction of Pontus, which would weaken the entire region. Following his meeting with House Targaryan he used other servents to offer the same deal to the leadership of Harrenhall, Iron Islands, Kingdom of Bolten, and the Easterlings. With all these parties now obsessed with the hope of getting the "Harp" from Pontus the armies of these nations headed towards Pontus. Points of Interest Major City Towns Castles Demographics Ethnicity Religion Category:Regions Category:Region in Europe Category:Westros